29thSFF Dealing with the Past by Sarajevo Film Festival

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Partner:

Program Partners:

Main sponsors of Sarajevo Film Festival:

DEALING WITH THE PAST 2023 I 3 4 Introduction Maša Marković, Dealing with the Past Programme Manager 6 True Stories Market Mentors 8 In Youth Eyes Programme Mentors 11 Programme Schedule 12 Films 16 True Stories Market: Selected stories 18 Team Content

This year’s Dealing with the Past programme embarks on a captivating journey, spanning from the evocative narratives of the Second World War, as masterfully directed by Marc Cousins in his film “March on Rome,” to the present day. Here, we are profoundly moved by the poignant journey of young Israeli students as they explore a memorial camp in Poland, a transformative experience captured in the film “Delegation” by the talented Asaf Saban. Set against the storied backdrop of Sarajevo, a city with a rich history, we unveil deeply personal stories that might seem almost inconceivable from today’s vantage point – yet these narratives, though seemingly surreal, are an indelible part of reality.

Teona Mitevska’s “Happiest Man in the World,” writen by Elma Tataragić seemingly implausible from our current standpoint, weaves a captivating narrative that challenges our perception of reality and prompts us to reconsider the boundaries of human experience. In “Facing Darkness,” the accomplished French director Jean Gabriel Périot delves into video footage captured during the siege of Sarajevo. Périot engages with the cre-

ators of these visuals, delving into the essence of the images and the myriad questions they evoke. What truths do these images convey? How do they resonate in our present? These questions not only illuminate historical events but also compel us to contemplate the enduring impact of visual storytelling on our collective memory.

Adding to this exploration, we proudly present the world premiere of “Souvenirs of War” by Georg Zeller, drawing inspiration from a story unveiled at the True Stories Market. Through a “foreigner’s perspective,” Georg unravels the traces of war etched into the lives of Bosnian residents. Furthermore, we unveil another world premiere, “Mamula,” also introduced at the True Stories Market. This film delves into revisionist historical tendencies, where a memorial center from the First World War undergoes a transformation into a casino. As we anticipate the stories yet to emerge from the upcoming True Stories Market, we eagerly anticipate their transformation into powerful and impactful films in the years ahead. In our steadfast commitment to fostering storytelling, we are honored to collaborate with Friedrich-

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Introduction

Ebert-Stiftung Dialogue Southeast Europe, sponsoring an award at the True Stories Market. This 10,000 euro award supports the research phase, a testament to our dedication to forgotten stories and understanding of the contexts upon which they arise.

Lastly, we are delighted to welcome back Mila Turjalić, who once again joins the Dealing with the Past programme with her exceptional work, “Cine-Guerillas.” Within an archive in Belgrade lies a collection of films known as “the Labudović Reels.” These images portray African and Asian liberation movements and the revolutionary leaders who defined the 1960s. Yet, the question looms: How is it that this archive of revolutionary history resides on a distant continent, largely forgotten within a film archive?

At the heart of the Dealing with the Past program lies a commitment to engage and empower the voices of the future, which is exemplified by the In Youth Eyes initiative. We proudly welcome twenty young individuals from the Western Balkans into this transformative endeavor, igniting a

dynamic platform for meaningful discourse and exploration. Through the In Youth Eyes initiative, a tapestry of engaging panels, discussions, and debates unfurls, centered around the vital themes of peace activism and reconciliation strategies. These young minds, poised to shape the trajectory of our region, gather to exchange ideas, challenge perceptions, and chart a course towards a more harmonious future. The In Youth Eyes initiative is a joint effort, uniting the energies of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, forumZFD – Forum Civil Peace Service, and the USAID PRO-Future Project.

As we embark on this journey through time, memory, and human experience, we invite you to join us in unraveling the narratives that have shaped our world, challenging us to reflect, question, and explore the intricacies of our shared history.

Dealing with the Past programme is supported by Friederich Ebert Stiftung.

Maša Marković, Dealing with the Past Manager

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True Stories Market Mentors:

ROBERT ZUBER – born in 1976 in Pula. For 18 years, he has worked across all segments of media in Croatia and was twice awarded by the Croatian Journalists’ Association. After gaining necessary professional experience as a journalist and editor while working, among others, for BBC, Radio 101 and Nova TV, he started working for the Croatian public broadcaster, HRT, where he spent 11 years investigating various social and humanitarian issues, mostly through his TV show THE MISSION. He started making documentaries in 2001, when he completed his first documentary film, NA STANICI U PULI, which became the most successful theatrically released documentary in Croatia that year. His second autobiographical documentary, AN ACCIDENTAL SON, filmed within the UNICEF ‘Every Child Needs a Home’ project, received the Oktavijan award for the best documentary at the Croatian Film Days festival. His next documentary, MILA SEEKS SENIDA, won the human rights award of the Sarajevo Film Festival. In 2017, he directed MILLION DOLLAR LIFE which won the “Golden Studio” media award for the best Croatian documentary. After spending three years at the helm of HRT’s Documentary Production Department, in 2016 he quit his job with the public broadcaster to establish his own production company ToroLab. ToroLab produces content for digital platforms, as well as documentary films and series. He also works as an associated professor at the Vern University in Zagreb.

NATAŠA DAMNJANOVIĆ, born in 1981 in Belgrade, where she graduated film editing at the Faculty of Drama Arts. She participated in the 2008 Sarajevo Talent Campus, 2011 Berlinale Talent Campus, was nominated for the 2010 Robert Bosch Stiftung Co-production Prize, in 2012 she participated as a script editor trainee to the Torino FilmLab, as well as in 2013 EAVE Producer’s Workshop. Since 2006 she is the co-founder of DART film, a production company based in Belgrade. So far she produced two feature films - HUMIDITY by Nikola Ljuca (Berlinale Forum 2016, FEST 2016 – Best Film, Best Director, Best Male Actor, “Nebojsa Djukelic” jury special mention, Valencia Int FF – Jury Special Mention, Five Lakes Film Festival - Best Script, Vilnius Int FF, SFF, etc.) and ALL THE CITIES OF THE NORTH by Dane Komljen (Locarno 2016 - Signs of Life, Sarajevo FF, New York FF, IFF Rotterdam, Valdivia IFF, Mar del Plata, FICUNAM, Jeonju etc.), edited several documentaries and a vast number of short films. She actively pursues European co-productions and one of the latest films she co-produced ICH WAR

ZUHAUSE ABER by German director Angela Schanelec premiered in Berlinale Competition in 2019, won the Silver Bear for Best Director and was nominated for European Film Award.

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TUE STEEN MILLER worked with documentary films for more than 20 years at the Danish Film Board, as press officer, festival representative and film consultant/commissioner. Co-founder of Balticum Film and TV Festival, Filmkontakt Nord, Documentary of the EU and EDN (European Documentary Network). From 1996 until 2005 he was the first director of EDN (European Documentary Network). From 2006 a freelance consultant and teacher in workshops like Ex Oriente, DocsBarcelona, Archidoc, Documentary Campus, Storydoc, Baltic Sea Forum, Black Sea DocStories, Caucadoc, CinéDOC Tbilisi, Docudays Kiev, Dealing With the Past Sarajevo FF as well as programme consultant for the festivals Magnificent7 in Belgrade, DOCSBarcelona, Message2Man in St. Petersburg and DOKLeipzig. Teaches at the Zelig Documentary School in Bolzano Italy. And writes reviews at www.filmkommentaren.dk

MILA TURAJLIĆ is an award-winning director born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Her films have screened at numerous festivals including Toronto and Tribeca, and have been released theatrically in Europe, North America and across the former Yugoslavia. Her most recent film THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING (2017) was HBO Europe’s first co-production with Serbia. It won 32 awards including the IDFA Award for Best Documentary Film, the Grand Prix for Best historical documentary released in France in 2018, the IDA Award for Best Writing and was nominated for the LUX Prize the European Parliament. Mila’s debut feature doc, CINEMA KOMUNISTO (2011) played at over 100 festivals and won 16 awards including the Gold Hugo and the FOCAL Award for Creative Use of Archival Footage. Mila is part of this year’s Dealing With The Past programme with her third feature, Ciné-Guerrillas: Scenes From the Labudović Reels, an archival road trip through the archives of African liberation movements of the 50’s and 60’s filmed by Stevan Labudović, the cameraman of Yugoslav President Tito.

MILJENKA ČOGELJA has been involved in film production for over a decade. Since 2009, she has worked with the Zagreb-based Hulahop production company. In 2012, she co-founded Pipser Productions with director Đuro Gavran. As a producer, she is credited for numerous award-winning feature and short documentary films, several documentary TV series (such as “Concrete Sleepers,” “Good Economy”), the hybrid film “The Diary of Diana Budisavljević,” and the fiction film “Safe Haven.” She is a graduate of the EAVE (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) professional development program for producers, and she has also participated in programs like EX ORIENTE, EURODOC Transregional, and STORYDOC. In 2020 and 2021, she served as the selected artistic advisor for minority co-productions at the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

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Dealing With The Past –In Youth Eyes Programme Mentors:

LEJLA GAČANICA is a PhD candidate in law, currently working as a legal expert and independent researcher in the field of transitional justice with a focus on the politics and culture of remembrance. She is the author of published articles, analytical, scientific and research papers in these fields.

NICOLAS MOLL was born in 1965 in Brussels, holds a PhD in Contemporary History from the University of Freiburg (Germany), and has been living in Sarajevo since 2007. He is working as an independent researcher and as free-lance trainer in the fields of dealing with the past, international cooperation and civil society development.

AMBASSADOR JOHANN SATTLER, EU’s Head of Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Special Representative, assumed office in Sep 2019. He holds a Political Science and Slavic Languages Master’s from Innsbruck University, an Advanced International Studies Postgraduate Diploma from Vienna’s Diplomatic Academy, and a Political Science PhD from the University of Vienna. With extensive focus on the Western Balkans, Sattler’s career includes roles like Austrian ambassador to Albania, and postings in Sarajevo and Tirana. Born in 1969, he is fluent in German, English, and Russian, proficient in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian and Albanian.

AMER KAPETANOVIĆ has been working as a diplomat for two decades. Before moving to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), where he is currently serving as Head of the Political Department, Kapetanovic was Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, MFA BiH spokesman, Head of MFA BiH EU Department, Minister-Counsellor in BH Embassy in FR Germany, reporter, and columnist. He was the President of Trustees of BH Film Fund, helping the BH Film industry get closer to EU funds, thus paving the way for membership in specially designed EU programs. He graduated in political science at the University of Sarajevo and attended a fellowship program at the Queen Mary University of London. He is author and co-author of dozens of publications, books, and research. Married to Tatjana Kapetanović and has two daughters, Lana and Juli.

ARMINA PILAV was Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently resides between Sarajevo, Delft, and Venice. As a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow at TU Delft, she explores contemporary war/post-war urban dynamics through visual and architectural lenses. She’s part of the ‘Methods and Analysis’ group at the Faculty of Architecture. Armina engages with feminist city perspectives, employing a syncretic x-media urban analysis. Her involvement spans various disciplines, including architecture, urban planning, art, media, and cultural studies. She contributed to the Venice Biennial of Architecture and led workshops internationally. Armina’s current research project ‘unwar space’ studies Sarajevo’s war-induced transformations through multimedia, aiming to connect physical and digital urban environments.

CLARISSA THIEME is a versatile artist and filmmaker known for her interdisciplinary approach. Her works, spanning film, photography, performance, installations, and writing, blend documentary and fictional elements. Focused on memory, identity, and translation, she engages in research-based, collaborative practices. Thieme studied media art at Berlin University of the Arts and cultural studies at University of Hildesheim. Her art has been showcased globally, with recent exhibits at Haus der Kulturen der Welt,

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Kunsthalle Mannheim, and others. Her films have premiered at Berlinale, including “Today is 11th June 1993” and “Can’t You See Them? - Repeat.” Thieme’s diverse portfolio also includes installations and performances, exploring themes like the Sarajevo conflict.

UNA GUNJAK was born and raised in Sarajevo. She completed her film studies in Turin and then pursued a master’s degree in film editing at NFTS. She has edited numerous short, feature, documentary, and TV projects. Since 2013, she has been dedicated to screenwriting and directing. Her short film “KOKOŠKA” premiered at Cannes in the Critics’ Week section and won the European Film Academy Award for Best Short Film in 2014. The film has been screened at over 270 film festivals and won 70 awards. Her short film “POZDRAVI IZ NJEMAČKE” had its premiere again at Cannes, this time in the Directors’ Fortnight section. Her feature film script “ALFA” was selected for the Cinefondation residency program and received support for development from the Media program and the Film Foundation.

DAMIR ŠAGOLJ was born in 1971 in Sarajevo and is a Bosnian photographer and journalist. He initially studied power engineering in Moscow and Sarajevo but shifted careers due to the Bosnian war. Joining Reuters in 1996, he reported on conflicts, disturbances, and catastrophes globally for 22 years, earning accolades like the Pulitzer and World Press Photo. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Arts, London. Currently residing in Sarajevo, he teaches photography at the Sarajevo Academy of Performing Arts.

FIRUZEH KHOSROVANI was born in Tehran and studied art at Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Italy. After earning her degree in 2002, she returned to Iran, obtaining a Master’s in Journalism. A versatile artist, she contributed to Italian media and debuted as a filmmaker in 2004 with “Life Train,” a documentary on children’s therapy post-earthquake. Her impactful works include “Rough Cut” (2007) and “Cutting Off” (2008). “1001 Irans” (2010) explored Iran’s image beyond borders. She collaborated on “Espelho Meu” (2011) and directed “Iran, Unveiled and Veiled Again” (2012) and “Fest of Duty” (2014). Her latest project is the documentary film “Radiograph of a Family.”

TEA VIDOVIĆ DALIPI has graduated sociology from the Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She has contributed to the local newspaper, organized exhibitions and collaborated on research for the documentary films. She is currently employed at the Centre for Peace Studies, working on migrant issues and their integration. In 2013, she finished the School of Documentary Film, where she started developing ideas for her first documentary film.

DANA BUDISAVLJEVIĆ, born in Zagreb in 1975, is a director and producer. She is a co-founder of Hulahop Production Company and has directed it since 2006. Graduating in film and TV editing, she initiated the first student film festival, F.R.K.A., during her studies. Engaged with Motovun Film Festival and ZagrebDox’s launch in 2005, she also advised the World Festival of Animated Film after 2007. She garnered her initial award for best editing in Andrej Korovljev’s “The Years of Rust.” Her directorial debut “Straight A’s!” earned the Grand Prix. “Family Meals” secured the audience award at ZagrebDox. Her first feature, “The Diary of Diana B,” a historic documentary drama on WWII child rescue, gained regional acclaim and numerous awards, becoming a significant film of the past decade in Croatia.

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H.H. LEONARDS, an author and mother of three, defied odds by acquiring properties like the O Museum in the Mansion using unconventional means. She’s a savvy executive with digital marketing expertise and has orchestrated philanthropic endeavors for corporations. Her endeavors span multiple organizations and industries, from a global computer foundation to cause-related marketing.

ZIYAH GAFIĆ (Regional Director, VII Academy Sarajevo) is an award-winning photojournalist and educator based in Sarajevo focusing on societies locked in a perpetual cycle of violence, and on Muslim communities around the world. He covered major stories in over 50 countries including conflicts in Chechnya, Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Ziyah’s work received many prestigious awards such as multiple awards from World Press Photo, Grand Prix Discovery of the Year at Les Rencontres d’Arles, Hasselblad Masters Award, Visa pour l’Image, Photo District News, Getty Images grant for editorial photography, TED fellowship, Prince Claus grant, National Geographic Society, Pulitzer Center and Magnum Emergency fund grant. His work is regularly published in leading international publications. Ziyah authored several monographs including Troubled Islam – Short Stories From Troubled Societies, Quest for Identity, and most recently, Heartland. Ziyah is a contributing photographer to National Geographic, member of VII photo agecny, TED speaker and Logan fellow.

PAUL LOWE is a Reader in Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London, UK. Paul is an award-winning photographer, educator and researcher, whose work is represented by VII Photos, and who has been published in Time, Newsweek, Life, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Observer and The Independent amongst others. He has covered breaking news the world over, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nelson Mandela’s release, famine in Africa, the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and the destruction of Grozny. His book, Bosnians, documenting 10 years of the war and post war situation in Bosnia, was published in April 2005 by Saqi books. His research interest focuses on the photography of conflict, and he has contributed chapters to the books Picturing Atrocity: Photography in Crisis (Reaktion, 2012) and Photography and Conflict. His most recent books include Photography Masterclass published by Thames and Hudson, and Understanding Photojournalism, coauthored with Dr. Jenny Good, published by Bloomsbury Academic Press, and Reporting the Siege of Sarajevo co-authored with Kenneth Morrisson also with Bloomsbury.

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Programme Schedule

SATURDAY, 12TH OF AUGUST